Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 hit the ground running

Sony brings the high-speed sensor technology of their Cyber-shot HX1 to two slimmer packages with the announcement of the Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 and Cyber-shot DSC-WX1. The new EXMOR R sensor in each model promises better low-light performance and high-speed shooting at up to 10 fps. Both cameras will record 720p HD video at 30 fps.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1

The Cyber-shot TX1 and Cyber-shot WX1 both feature a 10.2 megapixel “EXMOR R” CMOS sensor. According to Sony, the EXMOR R achieves higher sensitivity to light than a traditional CMOS sensor by moving the wire circuitry behind the photodiodes. This should offer the sensor more exposure to light, boosting low light performance and reducing graininess in photos taken at higher ISO. Low light shooting has been a trouble spot for Sony compacts in the past, so we’re eager to see how well the new sensor technology combats noise levels at ISO 400 and beyond.

Slim meets high-speedThe ultra-slim Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 falls in step with other T series model with a 3.0 inch touch screen on the back panel. With a layer of glass over the display, Sony claims this 230,000 dot LCD will be twice as durable as the screen on the Cyber-shot T90.

The lens is Carl Zeiss, a 4x optical zoom equivalent to 35-140mm with a maximum aperture of f/3.5.

The TX1 strikes a very slim profile at 16.5mm thin. The optics are all internally contained and protected behind a sliding cover. We’ve admired the simple, modern aesthetic off the T700 and its successors, and the TX1 is no exception.

Faster camera, bright lensThe Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 will bear the Sony G name on its lens. It will feature a wide-angle 24-120mm 5x optical zoom range with a fast f/2.4 maximum aperture.

The WX1 sports a slightly smaller 2.7 inch LCD on the back panel alongside a standard array of shooting modes and controls. It’s just under an inch in thickness, so it’s larger than the TX1 but slim enough to carry in a coat pocket.

It’s a familiar face in the Sony compact lineup, but the combination of a bright, wide-angle lens and 10 fps shooting is a promising package indeed. All of that new technology doesn’t come cheap, though. With an MSRP around $350, it’s well ahead of other W series models in price.

Both cameras are equipped with a BIONZ image processor. Though the WX1 has a Sony G brand on its lens and the TX1 a Carl Zeiss, they’re both optically stabilized. Other shared features include the sweep panorama mode introduced with the HX1 and Anti-Motion Blur shooting mode. The list of soft features goes on, including Smile Shutter and the newly added Pet mode.

Pricing and availabilityThe Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 should debut in October and will retail for $349.99. The Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 will arrive in September with a suggested retail price of $379.99. If you can’t wait to get your hands on one of these new models, Sony will begin taking pre-orders for the TX1 and WX1 in August.